“Oh, I’m definitely feeling that,” Kennedi said.
“Yeah, a couple of my friends are already there,” Carson said.
“They got the brews and we’ve got the broads,” one of Carson’s friends added.
I looked at him like he was crazy. “Broads?” I said.
“You’ll have to excuse Jeremy—he has no class,” Carson said.
I rolled my eyes at Jeremy, but we still went ahead and followed Carson out. Kennedi, Sheridan, Shay, Evian, and a few other girls also followed us out. I wanted to know why Evian and Shay were coming, but I’d noticed earlier how Shay had hooked up with Carson’s friend Princeton.
The party on the beach was nothing like the one we had just left, but it was still fun. We were laughing and telling jokes and just having a good time. A few folks were buzzed, but no one was out of order—yet. Finally, Carson said, “Anybody up for a game?”
“What kind of game?” I asked.
“Truth or dare,” he replied, a sneaky grin on his face.
“Really? Truth or dare?” Sheridan said. “Isn’t that so seventh grade?”
Carson and his friend exchanged glances. “Not the way we play it,” Princeton said.
“And just how do you play it?” Shay asked, as she leaned back on Princeton like she was his girl.
“No, this is grown-folks truth or dare,” Carson said.
I glanced over at Marcus, the undercover cameraman who had the spy cam glasses on. He had slowly eased out with us. When Carson asked me who he was, I’d lied and said one of our classmates. I was sure he was getting everything on video. Marcus was perfect playing that role because he looked like he couldn’t be more than seventeen.
I gave Marcus the signal we’d agreed upon to let him know this was definitely something he needed to start filming. His glasses were going to record our escapades in high definition.
Carson explained the rules. It was about twenty of us sitting around.
“I’ll start,” one of the girls I didn’t know said. She turned to Princeton. “So, I dare you to take off your underwear and go skinny-dipping in the ocean.”
“Really?” he said, standing up as he stepped out of his clothes—all of them. “Is that the best you’ve got?” He laughed as he took off into the water.
Shay looked disgusted behind it all. I and everyone else actually thought it was funny as we watched his wrinkly booty take off running.
“His butt looks like a prune!” someone yelled, and we all busted out laughing, everyone except for Shay.
A few minutes later, Princeton emerged, dripping wet and butt naked. He stood in front of the crowd, all of his privates boldly on display. “My turn!” he announced.
“Yeah, can you put your drawers on?” Sheridan said as we all kept laughing.
Shay tossed Princeton his underwear and he stepped back in them, then looked around and said, “Let me see. Who’s next? You!” He pointed at me. “I dare you to flash your breasts.”
This fool had straight lost his mind. “Sweetie, these are only reserved for certain people.”
“Come on,” Carson said, trying to coax me as he scooted closer. “You know how the game is played.”
“No. I don’t get down like that,” I said.
“Don’t punk out, Maya,” Kennedi said. I know she was teasing me because she of all people knew that wasn’t about to happen.
“The only way out is if someone takes your turn,” Carson said.
Suddenly one of the quiet girls who had been sitting off to the side said, “I’ll take her turn.” Before anyone knew it, she had pulled her shirt up and flashed her breasts.
“Ewww!”Sheridanexclaimed.
“Wow!” several of the guys said as they began whooping and hollering.
All I did was shake my head. Incredibly tacky.
“Now it’s my turn.” The girl pointed at Carson. “I dare you”—she pulled a dollar out of her pocket—“to put this dollar inside her underwear.” She pointed to the redheaded girl next to her and I could tell by the way the girl was giggling they had planned this. How incredibly lame. But Carson was up to the challenge because he stepped up.
“My pleasure,” he said, taking the dollar.
The crowd started shouting, “Make it rain,” as the redheaded girl stood and did a stripper dance. Carson put the dollar in his mouth, then leaned in and placed the money in her underwear. Yeah, he had just lost major cool points with me on that move.
Carson must’ve known I wasn’t feeling that move because after he finished, he turned and said, “I’m gonna let my princess here take my turn.” He flashed an apologetic smile.
I decided not to trip and instead looked around our group until my eyes settled on Evian. “I dare you to hook up with a random guy,” I said to her.
“What?” Evian said.
“I didn’t stutter,” I said. “I dare you to go meet up with a random guy.”
“I’m not doing that,” she said, her nose turned up. The shocked look on her face was actually funny, like she was too good for something like that.
“Un-unh, you gotta do it,” Carson said. “Those are the rules.”
“Why you trying to break the rules, Evian? You scared?” I asked. I knew Evian was prissy. She had that old money and was always looking at stuff like it was beneath her.
“I know you’re not talking,” Evian snapped. “You just passed on your dare.”
“That’s the way the game is played.” I shrugged. “Get somebody to take your turn and you can pass, too.”
She looked around. No one said a word.
“No takers, so you have to go,” I said, teasing her. “But if you just scared and want to punk out the game, don’t do it.”
“And just what am I supposed to do with this random guy? Where am I supposed to find him?” Evian asked, looking around.
I looked to Carson for help. He glanced around also, paused, then pointed up to a guy sitting up the hill at a bar.
“Princeton, go get that guy in the red hat.”
Without asking another question, Princeton jumped up and ran up the hill.
We continued to tease Evian about bailing out of the game when she again said she didn’t want to do it.
When the guy returned, he said, “What’s up? Someone wanted to see me?”
They couldn’t have picked a plainer guy. He had on some plaid Bermuda shorts and a raggedy Coke T-shirt. There was absolutely nothing cute about his frazzled-looking hair and pimply face. He looked like a creepy old tourist.
Carson spoke up. “Hey, man, we’re playing a little game here and Evian—isn’t that your name?”
She didn’t reply, but I said, “Yes, that’s her name.”
Carson turned back to the guy, a huge grin on his face. “Evian is going to take a little stroll with you,” he said.
The guy raised an eyebrow and said, “A stroll where?”
“Wherever you’d like to go,” Carson replied.
The guy looked at Evian and dang near salivated at the mouth. “And what are we going to do on this stroll?”
“That’s up to you and her,” Carson said, patting him on the back.
“We’re not going to do anything,” Evian said, although she did stand up. “I’ll take the stupid stroll, but that’s it.”
The guy grinned like he couldn’t believe his luck. “Are you going to at least talk to me?” he asked.
“Just come on,” she said, taking his hand and pulling him away. She stopped and turned to Carson. “Where are we supposed to stroll anyway?”
“You have to at least walk to the gazebo on the next hotel’s property and back,” Carson announced.
“That’s a long way,” Evian moaned. “This game is so stupid.”
“Hey, my game, my rules.” Carson threw his hands up.
“Fine, whatever.” Evian rolled her eyes as she stomped away.
“Thanks, man,” the guy said, scurrying after Evian. He fell in the sand as he tried to catch up wit
h her. But he quickly pulled himself up and scrambled to catch up. We all laughed like crazy. We would never let Evian live this down.
We did a few more dares, but after a while, most of us were getting bored.
“This game is dumb,” Sheridan declared.
“Yeah, I’m bored with it, too,” someone else said.
“Let’s get out of here,” Princeton told Shay.
“I need to wait on Evian,” she replied.
“Well, at least let’s go up to the bar,” he pleaded. Shay shrugged, then let him help her up to go to the bar.
Carson’s other friend, Damien, turned to Kennedi. “Hey, pretty lady, can me and my friend buy you and your girl some drinks, too?” he asked, motioning toward Sheridan.
Both of them looked at me. Then Sheridan said, “Why don’t we all go up to the bar.”
“Naw, you guys go on,” Carson said, pulling me closer. “I have something I’d rather be doing anyway.”
He looked at me, licking his lips. He just didn’t know. That little dollar-bill trick had just cost him the chance to get to know Maya Morgan.
“No, I’m coming, too.” I tried to break free from his grip.
Carson wouldn’t let go of my hand. “Then, we’re all going to the bar.” He flashed a smile at me. “I see I rubbed someone the wrong way and I’ve got some making up to do.”
Damien didn’t wait for them to reply as he grabbed Kennedi’s hand and pulled her. “Come on, ladies. Drinks are on me!”
Chapter 5
So, Carson had redeemed himself and I was actually having a good time. Damien was keeping us entertained at the bar with his impressions of the hottest movie stars. This boy was good, and I definitely could see him on the big screen one day.
Shay had even been cool, laughing and cracking up at Damien’s impressions. Finally, she glanced at her watch. “Hey, shouldn’t Evian be back by now?”
I looked at my cell phone as well, since no one else seemed concerned. The guys were taking shots. And a couple of girls were hanging right along with them. I was the only one not really drinking. I wasn’t a prude, but I couldn’t stand the yucky way liquor made me feel so I stuck to my Shirley Temple. Besides, I never needed anything taking me off my A game. Everyone else, though, was getting hammered. Even Kennedi was giggling like some second-grader and Sheridan was asleep with her head on the bar, after only one drink.
“They’ve only been gone about an hour,” I said.
“Yeah, but . . .” Shay shook her head like she was seriously worried. I couldn’t understand how she and Evian had gotten to be so close. They couldn’t be more different. Shay was an around-the-way, new-money girl, and Evian was an old-money princess type.
“But nothing. Y’all are forgetting where you are,” Carson said, sliding back over to me. He was buzzed but nothing too bad. “You’re in Cancun,” he continued. “It’s all about a good time. I guarantee you ol’ girl decided to hook up with that guy. They probably got to talkin’ and now she’s off doing her own thing and you guys are worried about where she is.”
“He was so not Evian’s type,” Shay said.
I definitely wasn’t stressing over Evian of all people, but that was a little strange that she would be gone that long with a random dude. I’d seen Marcus follow Evian, so I decided to go call him.
“Excuse me,” I said, standing up. “I need to make a call.”
“Who are you calling in Cancun?” Kennedi asked.
“Yeah, do you have any idea how much that’s gonna cost?” Damien said, his voice slurred.
“Sweetie, when you’re Maya Morgan you don’t worry about roaming charges and long-distance charges.”
“That’s what I’m talking about,” Carson said as I walked off.
I eased off to the side of the bar and punched in Marcus’s number. His voice mail picked up. “Hey, Marcus,” I said, leaving a message. “Where are you? Call me and let me know what’s up. Evian hasn’t gotten back yet and I was just wondering where she went.”
I had just hung up the phone when I saw Marcus inside the hotel at the bar, flirting with someone.
I swung open the hotel door and marched over to him. “Marcus?”
“Oh hey, Maya, what’s up?” He looked up with a big, cheesy grin across his face as he set his drink down on the bar. Some woman with her boobs hanging out of a teeny bikini was latched onto his arm.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
He motioned toward the woman, who did a little shimmy. “What does it look like I’m doing? I’m about to have a little fun in Cancun myself.”
“Excuse me, we’re supposed to be working,” I said in a shushed tone so the woman wouldn’t be all up in our business.
“Not around the clock. And correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t you out there kickin’ it with your friends? I’m entitled to a little fun, too.”
“Yeah, but you were supposed to be getting video of Evian and that guy.” I shook my head in frustration. My other cameraman, Quincy, would’ve never done this.
“And I did get video.”
“Okay, so where are they?” I asked.
“I don’t know,” he said, the expression on his face wondering why I was even questioning him. “Look, you told me to get video of them. That’s what I did. It was actually quite boring because they were just walking and talking, so I got some video and when they went in the hotel, I bounced.”
“What do you mean when they went in the hotel?”
“Just what I said. They went in the hotel.” He pointed toward the front door. “The one across the street. Probably to get their freak on.”
“Yeah, like we are trying to do,” the woman said, giggling as she leaned in to stick her nasty tongue in his ear.
Tramp.
Marcus licked his lips at her then turned back to me. “So, look here, I did what you needed me to do. I’m off the clock. If your girl hasn’t returned, then chances are she’s up in ol’ boy’s room doing what I’m trying to do.”
“Ugh!” I rolled my eyes and stomped off.
I couldn’t be completely mad because Marcus had made it clear that he planned to enjoy himself while he was here. But that was still messed up for Marcus to just leave her like that.
“Where have you been?” Kennedi asked once I went back outside. No one knew that Marcus was an undercover cameraman, so I couldn’t say anything, not even to my BFFs.
“I just went to go check on something.” I glanced around, hoping Evian had returned while I was gone. “So Evian still hasn’t made it back?”
“No,” Shay said.
Sheridan finally raised her head. Her eyes were bloodshot, but she did manage to say, “I knew this game was stupid. You guys sending her off with some strange guy.”
“I didn’t send her anywhere,” the girl who flashed her breasts said. “I don’t even know that chick. Come on, Crystal.” She motioned for her friend and they got up and left.
“Would you girls chill?” Carson said. “It’s not too far she could’ve gone. I guarantee you she’s somewhere kickin’ it and you guys are all up in her business.”
“Fine,” I said.
“It’s your fault she went off anyway,” Shay said, appearing next to Carson.
“My fault? I didn’t put a gun to her head and make her do anything,” I told Shay.
“Whatever.”
“Look, I’m tired of all of this bickering. We are supposed to be having fun,” Kennedi said. “All this fighting is blowing my buzz.”
“I think I’m gonna be sick,” Sheridan moaned, grabbing her stomach.
“Come on, I’ll take you back to the room,” I told her. See, this was exactly why I didn’t get drunk. Now, Sheridan was all sick and stuff. Who wanted that?
“I’m just gonna stay . . .” She leaned over the barstool and threw up everywhere.
“Uggh!” several people shouted as they jumped out of the way.
I was beyond disgusted, but I walked to one side to help her up. Ken
nedi went to the other. I almost dropped her because I jumped out the way as she got ready to throw up again.
Carson caught her before she hit the ground. “Come on. I got you. I’ll help you back to your room.”
I was grateful because I didn’t do vomit. Just as we were about to leave, Shay said, “So wait, you guys are just going to leave before Evian gets back?”
“Evian isn’t our responsibility,” Kennedi said.
“That’s foul. But foul needs to be your middle name,” Shay told me. “And I guess birds of a feather,” she added, turning her nose up at Sheridan and Kennedi.
“Whatever.” I turned to Carson. “Let’s get her back to the room and in the bed.” We headed inside and left Shay and Princeton at the bar. She could sit there all night and wait on Evian for all I cared. My awesome night had ended in a bust.
Chapter 6
I knew I should’ve followed my gut and just stayed in the room when we put Sheridan to bed. But I’d let Carson convince me to take a walk with him on the beach. Kennedi had passed out right along with Sheridan. As the only one who wasn’t drunk, I wasn’t sleepy, so I hadn’t been ready for bed. I think that’s the only reason I gave in.
But we hadn’t been walking for ten minutes before I started feeling like this had been a bad idea. Now, I knew without a doubt that it was. Carson had had way too much to drink. And everything I’d found charming about him just a few hours ago was getting on my last nerve.
“So, you know I’m feeling you,” he said, walking as he kept trying to put his arm around me. There were a few other couples walking along the beach and a few frolicking in the water, but other than that, the beach was deserted, which was kind of shocking since it was only around two in the morning.
I removed his arm for the fifteenth time. “You know, you don’t know me well enough to know if you’re feeling me or not.”
“But you’re beautiful and . . .” He stepped back and looked me up and down like some kind of old creep. “. . . and fine as all get out.”
I don’t know what I ever saw in him. Yes, he was cute. But that was it. They say liquor brings out the true person. I was glad that I had seen it in Carson so now I didn’t have to waste any more of my trip with him.
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